The present invention relates to adhesive labels and to the manufacture thereof In particular, the present invention is concerned with a method of manufacture of adhesive labels that affords greater flexibility in the construction of the adhesive labels and improvements in the economy of production. Moreover, the present invention is further concerned with adhesive labels manufactured by such a method that are particularly suited for use on cylindrical and other non-planar surfaces.
Numerous variations of self-adhesive label designs have been developed for the packaging industry to enable additional information to be provided with a host product or its packaging. In general, such labels are provided on a reel of silicone-lined release material to permit automated transfer of the self-adhesive labels from the release material to the host product or packaging
One example of the many different designs of self-adhesive labels available may be found in EP 0628941. Reference is made in particular to FIG. 13 of EP 0628941 which shows a web of release material to which a web of supporting labels is adhered by a layer of adhesive. The web of supporting labels is initially cut and the waste removed to define a series of individual labels, spaced apart from one another, each of which is larger than its desired final size. A layer of adhesive is then applied over the top surface of each of the support labels and beyond one edge of the support label to overlie the release material. Individual folded leaflets are adhered by the continuous layer of adhesive to respective support labels so that the top panel of the folded leaflet extends beyond the one edge of the support label to adhere to the adhesive overlying the release material. Finally, a layer of transparent laminar material is applied over the support label and the folded leaflet and the layered structure is cut to the desired shape with the waste being removed.
The method of manufacture of the self-adhesive label design described above presents a number of disadvantages to the commercial production of self-adhesive labels of this type. For example, the fact that a layer of adhesive is used results in the entire free edge region of the top panel overlying the release material being permanently adhered to the host product making the label difficult to open and increasing its stiffness making the label inappropriate for use on highly curved surfaces. Furthermore, the entire lower surface of the folded leaflet is secured to the support label thereby preventing the lower surface of the bottom panel and that part of the upper surface of the support label beneath the bottom panel being used to present additional printed information. It should be noted that the method of manufacture described above requires the support labels to be individually formed before the folded leaflets are applied. This limits the manufacturing method to single leaflet application to support labels, increases the complexity of the initial manufacturing steps, and increases the need for accurate alignment between the support labels and the folded leaflets.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the disadvantages described above and seeks to provide a novel method of manufacturing adhesive labels and to an improved adhesive label manufactured by such a method.
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing adhesive labels consisting of a base label and a multi-page leaflet secured thereto, the method comprising the steps of: providing a support web on a web of release material, the support web having a plurality of windows exposing portions of the web of release material therethrough; securing a plurality of multi-page leaflets to a top surface of the support web such that an end region of each multi-page leaflet overlies one or more windows: and cutting the multi-page leaflets and the support web to define a plurality of adhesive labels each having a portion of the multi-page leaflet adjacent the web of release material.
Preferably, the-multi-page leaflets are secured to the support web by one or more regions of adhesive. Ideally, one or more lines of permanent adhesive are used to secure the multi-page leaflet to the support web.
In a preferred embodiment adhesive is applied to regions of the release material exposed through the windows in the support web so that said portion of the multi-page leaflet is adhered directly to the web of release material. The end region of the multi-page leaflet may include an unadhered tab portion extending beyond the portion of the multi-page leaflet adhered to the web of release material.
Whilst any one of many different methods may be employed to remove the cut patches the preferred method is one in which the cut patches of the support web are removed by supplying the web of release material and the web of label material to a projecting edge, with the web of label material facing away from the surface of the projecting edge, and passing the support web over the projecting edge thereby causing the cut patches to fall away from the web of release material. Ideally, the web of release material and the web of label material are fed to the projecting edge in a direction that ensures the adhesive surface of the removed patches face generally upwards.
The method may further include providing a covering layer of a laminate material over at least a part of the support web and the multi-page leaflets. Ideally, the covering laminate material is applied to the support web and the multi-page leaflets prior to the cutting of the multi-page leaflets and the support web into individual adhesive labels.
In a further aspect the present invention provides a method of manufacturing an adhesive label assembly which comprises the steps of: providing a continuous web of adhesive label material on a-web of release material; cutting a plurality of windows in the web of label material as far as the web of release material; and disposing of the cut patches of the web of label material.
The present invention also provides an adhesive leaflet manufactured in accordance with the method described above and an adhesive label assembly manufacture in accordance with the method described above.
The present invention further provides an adhesive leaflet assembly comprising a web of release material, a plurality of base labels formed from a support web and releasably adhered to the web of release material, a multi-page leaflet disposed on each one of the plurality of base labels such that an end region of each multi-page leaflet extends beyond an edge of the respective base label to overlie a window exposing a portion of the release material.
Preferably, the exposed upper surface of the base label and the upper surface of the multi-page leaflet are uncovered and do not include a transparent laminar material.